


A Little Softer

by Leni



Category: Castle
Genre: Alternate Reality, Gen, What-If
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-23
Updated: 2015-05-23
Packaged: 2018-03-31 20:01:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 837
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3990916
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Leni/pseuds/Leni
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Slight what-if. If Beckett had been the one to trail Castle. <i>Sort of</i>.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Little Softer

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Rocketgirl2 at [Comment_fic](http://comment-fic.livejournal.com/142289.html?thread=30336465#t30336465). Prompt: **Castle, Castle/Beckett, she's the one trailing him.**

Castle glanced around the area the bookshop had appointed for this meeting with his fans. Sure enough, there she was, looking grumpy and annoyed - and still trailing him everywhere he made a public appearance.

If that lunatic was still after him, he'd have a hard time getting past Beckett. She might hate that a call to the mayor had gotten him a security detail, and she might disapprove of his life style - hell, she'd already said she didn't like _him_ at all - but when it came to her job, Beckett laid all that aside and did her best.

Castle had never held much faith in the police force until he'd met Detective Beckett.

"Good evening," he greeted her after the meet-and-greet was over. A few of his readers - mostly female - glanced over, obviously trying to figure out why he'd approach the one guest who hadn't seemed at all enthused to be present. "Fancy meeting you here."

Perhaps he shouldn't have grinned as he said that.

Beckett scowled at him. "No, you don't," she told him, her voice a whisper that would appear intimate for anyone watching them. Castle leaned closer, because if someone was getting the wrong impression, then they should enjoy the misunderstanding to the fullest. "Tonight you're following the script, you hear me? No gluing yourself to me when we have a murderer to bait."

"But, Kate...."

Her eyes narrowed.

When they'd met, they had agreed not to use her official title, so as not to scare off their quarry. They had _not_ agreed to a first name basis, but after a few weeks of threatening violence, Castle could tell that she was finally softening. 

He'd have to try endearment terms next. The sight of her when she was riled up... well. There was a reason he always requested her company instead of her partners'.

Indeed, Beckett looked quite fetching even when she was ignoring him. Not that he let her do that very often. If they were in primary school, Beckett would be the tomboy with long, thick braids swinging behind her, and Castle would happily be the bratty boy tugging on them at every chance.

"I could leave you..." He paused, and felt an inner thrill at the way her eyebrows puckered in distrust. Only a few weeks working together - or as close to 'together' as could be, when she insisted on leaving him out of the loop - and Beckett already had a good grasp of him. Oh, he _liked_ this one. "...if I believed you'd try to have some fun."

She sighed. "Really, Castle. You're the most interesting thing in the room."

That had been no compliment. He smiled anyway. "No,"-and he gave her an appraising look- "I am not."

For half a second he had hopes for a blush, but all he got was a slower-than-usual blink. And then Beckett snapped back to form. "Go," she told him, pointing discreetly to the hopeful readers that awaited him. "They might actually fall for that line."

He pouted.

His mother always shook her head with a pained look and swore he hadn't gotten such silliness from her side of the family (something he agreed with; he'd obviously gotten their sense of drama instead). Alexis rolled her eyes and grumbled that he looked ridiculous, and made him swear never to try that in front of her girlfriends.

Beckett set her lips in a firm line. "Shoo."

He brought a hand to his heart and gave her a hurt look.

"Now, Castle."

And, unlike some of the women he'd met at these events, she wasn't pretending to wish him away just to see him plead to stay.

In fact, Beckett wasn't quite like _any_ woman he'd ever met. Which didn't fail to intrigue him.

Which, in turn, couldn't but inspire him.

Hers was the kind of personality on which he could base an unforgettable character. An entire series, indeed. These last days, Castle had wondered whether the inflicted pain would be worth telling Beckett that he'd started making notes already. He even had a name in mind. It was perfect. It was catchy. It described his new female protagonist to a T - and gave away a lot of how he felt toward her real life counterpart.

_Nikki Heat_.

Once she heard about it, Beckett would save the murderer the trouble and kill him herself.

"What are you grinning about?" she asked now, suddenly suspicious.

Castle couldn't resist. "My untimely and much mourned death."

She gave him an assessing look, and seemed to decide that he was being his usual nonsensical self. Still, her voice was serious as she said, "Not on my watch, Castle."

He wanted to sweep her up into a kiss - or perhaps just a long, tight hug. He settled for patting her arm (right below her short sleeve) and aiming his sweetest smile at her. "I'm holding you to that, Beckett."

And she _was_ softening toward him.

It barely hurt when she slapped his hand away.

 

The End  
22/05/15


End file.
